Steam Cleaning vs. Shampooing Your Carpets

Carpets or area rugs make beautiful covers to your rooms and can be a stylish addition to your living area. But they can also attract lots of germs, and they can be a hotbed for pet hair and dust. If you need to know the ways on how to wash your carpets, then this article is for you.

Most people are familiar with steam cleaning as a way to get rid of stains, dust, pet hair, mites, and microbes. Steam cleaning is a process of using hot water vapor and a mop to break down the dirt molecules. On the other hand, shampooing uses detergents to sanitize your rugs.

Most rugs can dry fast in just under 48 hours when you use the clean steam method. The shampoo method dries much longer. Vapor naturally acts as a disinfectant, but shampoo may require the use of more potent chemicals to kill the germs hiding on the fibers of your rugs.

Comparison of the Two Methods

Depending on what you need, both the steaming and shampooing are effective in doing their jobs. However, there are individual differences that you need to consider. You can know more about the different kinds of equipment for steam cleaner vs carpet cleaner shampoo in many online guides. What’s important is to see the distinction between the two and get the equipment and the necessary tools to do the job.

Most of the steam cleaning process involves a piece of equipment that is consists of a vacuum and a pump. They come with attachments that can access areas under cabinets and the accessories for spot stain removal. You usually need a hose to suck away the detergent if you have used any and the wastewater.

Benefits of Steam Mops

• The mops are more efficient when it comes to rooms with wall-to-wall carpet designs.
• The attachments are more comfortable to maneuver, and the areas that are hard to reach can be covered with the sanitizing process.
• The use of vapor is considered a deep cleaning method since it can cut through the most stubborn grime on your floor covers, including grime and grease.
• The mist produced is organic, and it’s safer for babies, pets, and other occupants of the house.
• The high temperatures can kill microbes in minutes.
• Any eggs that come from fleas can be dislodged from the fibers when you use steam cleaners.

Disadvantages of Steam Mops

• The mops may not adequately remove heavy stains on your rugs.
• You may need a cleansing solution for deeply soiled carpets.

Unlike any other washing method in carpets, using vapor is excellent for removing the soil at the very bottom, and it does not leave any detergent behind. The machine forces and sucks out everything, so there will be no residue afterward.

Benefits of Carpet Shampooing

• This is very effective for stains that are hard to remove.
• If the dirt such as loose soil is deeply embedded in the fibers, the chemicals from the shampoo method can get rid of it.
• The shampoo cleaners are available anywhere. You can rent the machine at your local cleaning company.

Disadvantages of the Shampoo Method

Even if you can quickly get access to the shampoo machine, there are still some shortcomings that you need to consider. Some of the issues that you may encounter include the following:

• Damage, discoloration, and weakening of the fibers due to frequent stain removal and scrubbing.
• Soap residues can be left behind if proper rinsing is not followed. The residues can attract more dust and dirt in the long run.
• The larger carpets will take time to dry.

Some machines like cylindrical foam shampoo and rotary shampoo dispense liquid detergent to the carpet. They have features such as rotating brushes that will whip the soap, making them into a foam. Cylindrical brushes are used to agitate the fibers to comb the foaming detergent thoroughly. This kind of washing can make the dirt settle more deeply in the carpet’s fibers.

DIY Cleaning is Possible with the Right Equipment

It is understandable that some homeowners find carpet disinfecting to be a never-ending battle. They have to get rid of the trapped dirt and particles on their carpet while making sure that soap suds don’t stick around the fibers after the washing is done.

The deep cleaning method is essential since vacuuming twice a week won’t do the job efficiently. You can know more about vacuuming your carpet when you click here. There is always the option of going to professional cleaners, but if they are not available, you may be stuck with a floor cover that is filthy and bad-smelling.

If you want to wash your carpets yourself and not rely on professionals who would use commercial carpet cleaning machines, the good news is that there are pieces of equipment that can help you achieve the job smoothly. Knowing this, everyone in the house can enjoy fresh, clean, and beautiful-looking rugs without the need to go out and get the services of professional cleaners.

How to Decide Which Method is Best?

Deciding which one is best and well-suited to your needs can be a challenging feat. You can get a recommendation from your local cleaning company. But deep cleaning, it’s better to use the steam method. For weekly surface cleaning, shampooing can be enough. If you want to get the best out of both worlds, you can always do the shampoo method first and then steam and vacuum everything afterward.